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Sustainable BuildingsSustainable construction takes note of the complete lifecycle of a building, from the choice of initial materials to demolition and recycling and refers to the use of environmentally preferable practices and solutions in each of the phases. It applies to both renovation and retrofitting of existing buildings and construction of new buildings, whether residential, commercial, public or private.
"Best practice" emphasizesCost effectiveness and long-term affordability Resilience and strength Energy efficiency Climate change mitigation Conservation of water and preservation of other natural resources Comfort (acoustical, thermal, visual…) Human productivity, health and safety Indoor air quality Reduction of air, ground and water pollution Aesthetics Reducing the impact of buildings on the environment is vital, listed below is the impact the building environment has on pollution and resources according to Earth Trends, 2007 using data from UNEP SBCI, 2006.  Professionals in the construction sector tend to estimate the cost of constructing a green building to be 17% higher than the cost of building a conventional structure. This estimate is over three times higher than the actual figure, which is only about 5% higher. This misunderstanding is a huge obstacle to the construction of environmentally-friendly buildings. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by the W.B.C.S.D in the context of the "Energy Efficient Buildings" project. Saint-Gobain Isover is committed to sustainable construction and contributes towards the many efforts currently underway to accelerate the market uptake of sustainable building. For more information visit www.isover.com |
